i feel bad

[Scorpendra]

now, i have a tree boa, Candoia carinata, and i feed it lizards. but today, i stopped and thought.

i went to a Petco to get the feeder, and it was the first time i ever had a hassle getting it. the first worker (the guy who got it for me) stroked its head affectionately before putting it in a pet box. it wasn't a big deal, just a short touching from someone who had been trying to grab it for about a minute, but the second worker (the cashier) gave me some kind of sappy "companion animal" contract. it's the first time someone actually cared. i actually feel bad, not for the lizard, but for the workers who, for at least a short period of time, expect me to give this 3-inch feeder gecko love and proper care and treat it as if it was my child. i wonder if they do the same with young rodents, but that's not the point.

i know a lot of you can relate, so let's hear it. do you feel any remorse about "tricking" pet store workers when you get any unconventional feeders?

i really don't want this to turn into an ethical argument, by the way. whether you like vert feeding or not, it's not precisely the subject.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I don't buy live prey so I can't comment, but I do want to note that PetCo animals of *any* type are probably packing a nice load of parasites or illnesses and I don't think I'd want that going into my pet's stomach. I would suggest looking into another source if you can.

 

[Scorpendra]

I don't buy live prey so I can't comment, but I do want to note that PetCo animals of *any* type are probably packing a nice load of parasites or illnesses and I don't think I'd want that going into my pet's stomach. I would suggest looking into another source if you can.

wasn't really the type of answer i was looking for, but thanks. i'll look into some reputable sellers.

maybe it was just that one store. the Petco i went to last time just gave it to me in a plastic bag, no questions and certainly no strings attached.

 

[snakemaster1]

I would never ever lie to a pet store employee or anyone when i aquire an animal for feeding i always tell the person it is for a pet. just do not tell them it is for my pet. HA HA HA

 

[blazetown]

It's always kinda a morbid thought when you think hey this is an existence about to be extinguished by me....right about then I think well what am I gonna feed my monsters anyway. Yeah you might wanna get your snake checked and or treated for parasites....lizards can carry lots.

 

[Will Hunting]

I was never really good at this "guilt" thing.

 

[LeilaNami]

Petco has no problem selling the designated animals as feeders (mouse, rats, comets, crickets, worms) but the lizards and other small animals and birds are not to be sold as feeders per Petco Policy and Procedures (I worked there for two and a half years...sold a guy an anole to feed his scorp). So odds are they would have probably refused the sale if you told them it was to be used as a feeder. Then again, some really just don't care about it either way.

Just keep in mind, lizards at Petco are usually WC

 

[arachyd]

I'm not trying to sidetrack the post but I've been wondering, is it legal for them to refuse the sale simply because you intend to use the animal as a feeder?

 

[Mushroom Spore]

is it legal for them to refuse the sale simply because you intend to use the animal as a feeder?

I'm pretty sure it's legal for them to refuse a sale for any reason they choose, barring those reasons prohibited by law (like the customer's race).

 

[Boanerges]

I personally would honestly feel bad but I would still do it :? Which makes me think "What does that have to say about me" :? Hmmmmm.....

 

[Mina]

I don't think it is illegal. A store has the right to refuse a sale, particularly of an animal if they think the buyer won't treat the animal well. I also know that a lot of pet stores purposely price their mice and rats very high, just so that people won't want to spend that much money on a feeder.
Do I feel guilt about feeding my snakes? No. I only feed frozen thawed however. It is a fact. Snakes are living beings and they have to eat something, I am not the one who chose what a snake would eat. So I feel no guilt in feeding them.
I would, however, feel bad about misleading the pet store employees. It is so unusual to see a pet store employee who cares that I would have gone to another store to get what I needed just so that some animal could remain somewhere it was actually cared for. In stores that don't care for the animals, you can almost say you are saving it from suffering the effects of not being fed and watered properly.

 

[TalkingMonkey]

I would avoid petco

I felt bad about it so I started breeding my own feeders (mice). I got the hype from Petsmart one time when I inquired as to whether or not they carried mice. I guess my tattoos made me out for a monster feeder and the lady quickly "informed me"..."WE ONLY HAVE THEM FOR SELL AS PETS WE WON'T SELL TO YOU" I guess I gave myself away when I entered the store carrying my empty PET PAL. She then offered me some highly over priced frozen mice. I asked her what is the difference who kills them at least I don't freeze them to death. :evil:

You might save yourself some hassle and some money finding a reptile breeder that would sell you some feeder lizards. The Petco near me purchases from a reportedly reputable supplier but other Petco's have reportedly not done as well (according to the news). You might try checking out who they buy from and sometimes they will sell directly to the public. I had a buddy who fed his tree boa mice consistently. Here is an article about acclimating them to mice if you are so inclined (you may already be doing that but I thought I would pass it along just in case). Surely mice are cheaper than Geckos. I breed my own and sell the overstock to local pet stores so I know they are safe but it can get to be a hassle.

Article from http://www.kingsnake.com/candoia/review.html
I have noticed over the many years I have worked with Candoia, that they seem to have a slower metabolism than most boids. I feed my adults only 1 rodent every 3-4 weeks. Neonates & juveniles are fed every 10 days. During their winter cooldown, some specimens will go off feed. Some of my male ground boas may not eat for 6 months with no ill effects. All adult Candoia readily accept mice & rats. The feeding of neonates is not as hard as you've all probably heard. Most baby candoia will not eat pinkie mice on the first attempt. There is a very simple reason for this. They're not supposed to! Neonates react wildly when a small treefrog or lizard is placed in their cage. It is instinctive for them to grab swift moving prey items. So I will let them eat 5 or 6 lizards or frogs. This will get them going and put on weight. The next step is the secret to feeding baby Candoia. No food for 3 solid weeks! After several frogs or lizards, leave the neonate alone. Just make sure it has a fresh water bowl. When approximately 3 weeks pass, offer the baby snake a pinkie that is heavily scented with its favorite food item. This usually works all the time. If it doesn't you will have to give it some more frogs or lizards and try again at a later time. Some neonates will switch over to pinkies on their own at 6-9 months of age. Baby australis & baby carinata will usually neever start on pinkies. Ground and viper boas are the best pinkie starters.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

at least I don't freeze them to death. :evil:

To the best of my knowledge, major suppliers of frozen rodents humanely euth them. They do not freeze them to death.

 

[Widowman10]

To the best of my knowledge, major suppliers of frozen rodents humanely euth them. They do not freeze them to death.

do you know by what method they euth them by MSpore? hopefully not with chemicals

 

[JColt]

do you know by what method they euth them by MSpore? hopefully not with chemicals

CO2, which doesn't poison them, but rather deprives them of oxygen and they just kinda 'go to sleep'

 

[Widowman10]

thanks JColt, i was wondering.

 

[Boanerges]

CO2, which doesn't poison them, but rather deprives them of oxygen and they just kinda 'go to sleep'

This is correct. I am in the process of making my own C02 chamber. This is the only way to humanely euthanize mammals.